Bits and pieces that might inform, inspire, disrupt or entertain - from John May

New eyes; one day on…

Published August 23, 2009

It’s now just over thirty hours since I had my eye surgery. The results are extraordinary.

I went to bed last night feeling pretty content. I put on the special eye shades (taped in place with micropore) that would stop me from rubbing my eyes in my sleep. When I woke this morning, I reached for my glasses, as I have done every day for more than thirty five years – and realised that I didn’t need to do so.

No shower this morning. I am not allowed to wash my hair for three days, in case I get any contamination in my eyes, so I had to make do with a bath and an attack with the face flannel. My eyes felt very tired this morning, just like I remember them feeling when I had slept with contact lenses in. This is, of course, exactly what I had done as the bandage lenses were still in place. My eyes were quite red and sore. However, once I had put in the first of the day’s eye drops, they got better very quickly.

I then put on my new and very fashionable Oakley sunglasses (to be worn whenever I go outside for the next week, rain or shine) and set off for the clinic at Finchley Road. My sight felt slightly strange. At times it seemed better than ever, but it also became apparent that middle and near distance sight was a bit dodgy, though this was improved by blinking.

Time again for a coffee and a pastry for breakfast before my appointment. By ten past ten, I was sitting again in the reception area of Optimax, waiting for the optician to give me my 24 hour check up.

The check up was quick but thorough. The optician checked how the flap was healing, put some dye in my eye to check for any problems and removed the bandage contact lenses. My sight was then checked. Yesterday I couldn’t read the top line of the test card. Today, I could read down to second line from the bottom. Not yet 20:20 vision – that’s the bottom line; but well on my way towards it. And, certainly within legal driving limits.

It does look as though I am now long sighted – as I had been warned that I might be. However, my near sight has improved throughout the day, so I will see tomorrow whether or not I will need to go and buy some reading glasses.

I have spent the rest of the day relaxing. My sight seems to have settled down and things are certainly clearer. The haze I wrote about yesterday has now cleared completely. It’ll be interesting to see how the next few days go. I have been warned that there may be some fluctuations and that I should expect to see improvements for the next month or so, before we know how well the surgery has really gone. I am stunned by how painless and simple the whole experience has been so far. And I can see.